The central agency claimed from 2006 onwards, the Bhujbals and their associates laundered Rs4,264.25 crore.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal laundered Rs291.71 crore, while his nephew Sameer laundered Rs359.30 crore, the enforcement directorate (ED) alleged in its draft of charges against the Bhujbals and 51 other associates submitted to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Wednesday.

The central agency claimed from 2006 onwards, the Bhujbals and their associates laundered Rs4,264.25 crore.

The ED said, “Chhagan Bhujbal devised the methodology and scheme of things to defraud the state government by conceptualising and implementing a scheme wherein the Maharashtra Sadan/RTI project was awarded to Chamankar by misusing his official position and authority. In lieu for this, he accepted bribe money and laundered in purported business activities of his group.”

The agency claimed Sameer, who was the actual controller of the business group, was responsible for diverting the money gained by Bhujbal. “Sameer devised the modus operandi to convert proceeds of crime into legal channels in the guise of sham transactions,” the agency claimed in their draft charges. The ED said Sameer channelised cash through market operators and brought back the said illicit funds in the form of share subscriptions at high premiums. The agency claimed he was directly involved in the activities of diverting the proceeds of crime as untainted funds amounting to Rs359.30 after March 2006.

The agency had registered two separate cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), with the agency focusing on the “trail of the money” and “analysing the assets” in June 2015. In April 2016, the agency filed a detailed complaint against Bhujbals and other accused under PMLA. After a year, the court is in the process of commencing the trial in the case.